George Foster: The Power Behind the Big Red Machine

Early Life and Beginnings

George Arthur Foster was born on December 1, 1948, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but he was raised in Los Angeles, California. His journey to Major League Baseball was not one of early stardom. Foster attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, California, where his athletic potential began to emerge. In 1968, he was drafted in the third round by the San Francisco Giants.

Foster’s early years in professional baseball were a slow burn. He made his MLB debut with the Giants on September 10, 1969, but struggled to find a foothold in a crowded San Francisco outfield that already included legends like Willie Mays and Bobby Bonds.

Trade to Cincinnati and the Rise of a Star

Foster’s career changed dramatically in 1971 when the Giants traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for shortstop Frank Duffy. At first, Foster was a part-time player with the Reds, but by 1975, he had claimed a full-time role in the outfield—and he would become one of the most feared sluggers of his era.

The timing couldn’t have been better. The Reds were entering the prime of their dynasty, known as the Big Red Machine, a team stacked with Hall of Fame talent like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Tony Pérez, led by manager Sparky Anderson.

Foster was the muscle. From 1975 to 1978, he was arguably the best power hitter in the game.

George Foster Reds highlights 1971-1981

Career Peak

Foster’s breakout came in 1976. That season, he batted .306 with 29 home runs and 121 RBIs, leading the National League in RBIs. The Reds steamrolled the league, winning 102 games and sweeping both the Phillies in the NLCS and the Yankees in the World Series. Foster hit .429 in the World Series, helping Cincinnati become the first team to go undefeated in the postseason in the divisional era (3-0 NLCS, 4-0 World Series).

In 1977, Foster had one of the most iconic seasons in modern baseball history:

• Batting average: .320

• Home runs: 52 (led MLB)

• RBIs: 149 (led MLB)

• OPS: 1.013

• MVP: National League Most Valuable Player

Foster became the first player since Willie Mays in 1965 to hit 50 home runs in a season and the first to reach that milestone in the National League since Hank Aaron in 1962.

His 52 homers stood as the highest single-season total in the National League until Mark McGwire’s 70 in 1998.

Foster continued to mash through the late 1970s:

• 1978: 40 HRs, 120 RBIs

• 1979: 30 HRs, 98 RBIs

• 1981: Led the NL in HRs (22) and RBIs (90) in a strike-shortened season

WS Gm6: Bench tags out Doyle on Foster’s throw

Decline and Mets Years

By the early 1980s, the Big Red Machine had begun to dismantle. After the 1981 season, Foster sought a long-term contract, and the Reds—reluctant to meet his price—traded him to the New York Mets in 1982. Foster signed a five-year, $10 million deal, making him one of the highest-paid players in the game.

However, his time in New York was largely disappointing. Though he hit 28 home runs in 1983 and 24 in 1984, his batting average and overall production declined, and he never regained his Cincinnati form. He was eventually released by the Mets during the 1986 season, just before the team went on to win the World Series.

Foster briefly joined the Chicago White Sox but played only 15 games before retiring from baseball later that year.

Career Stats Overview

• Career batting average: .274

• Home runs: 348

• RBIs: 1,239

• Hits: 1,925

• OPS: .814

• All-Star appearances: 5 (1976–79, 1981)

• Silver Slugger Awards: 2 (1980, 1981)

• MVP: 1977 NL MVP

Post-Baseball Life

After retiring, Foster remained active in the game through coaching and community involvement. He has worked with various youth baseball programs and served as an instructor and mentor. He also spent time as a hitting coach in independent leagues and made appearances for Reds-related events.

Though he has not been elected to the Hall of Fame, Foster is revered in Cincinnati, where his contributions to the Big Red Machine are considered foundational. In 2003, he was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

A Bro U Need To Know | Feared Slugger George Foster, His Mean Scowl & Meaner Sideburns

Legacy

George Foster is often overshadowed by some of his Hall of Fame teammates, but his impact on one of the greatest teams in baseball history is undeniable. At his peak, he was a terrifying hitter, capable of changing a game with one swing. His 1977 MVP season remains one of the most powerful campaigns in MLB history.

Foster represents the raw, thrilling power of 1970s baseball—a player who could electrify a stadium and carry a team on his back. In an era before the steroid-fueled home run booms, Foster was one of the few who could make 50 home runs feel not only possible but inevitable.